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I can’t think about it.
Ivica chews her lip.
“Take the boat to the other side of the lake,” she says. “From there, through the trees, it’s an hour-long walk in a straight line north until you reach a road. Every day, a delivery truck from the castle will travel along there two hours after sundown towards Dubrovnik.”
My heart thunders at my throat. I know just how dangerous it can be for her to tell me all of these things. But I don’t dare interrupt her, and listen intently as she continues.
“Once you flag the driver down, tell themya trebam pomoch,” she says. “Thatmeans I need help. Then tell themya sam Amerikanka.That means I am an American.They should be able to figure out where to take you from that point on. And don’t worry, the drivers won’t know who you are. Theyonlyever interact with the kitchen staff. They won’t sell you out. Any questions?”
I blink and stare at her, shocked that she is offering up all of this information to me. Was she always willing to do that? Or does she also realize that should Konstantin fail to rescue Alisa, the fate that awaits me is one worse than death?
“I need to hear you repeat those two phrases, dear.”
Slowly, I do. She asks me to do it again, and then one final time until the words are practically seared inside of my mind. Finally, when she’s satisfied, she tells me.
“I will lace Alla Antonovna’s meal later tonight with just enough sleeping medication so that she will go to bed at sunset. I can have some of the girls distract the guards. There’s a service corridor on the left side of the hallway. Go through there once the sun has set and I will take you to the boat myself.”
She gingerly takes my hands in hers. I can tell she wants to squeeze them to reassure me, but she doesn’t out of fear that she might hurt me. Gritting my teeth against the pain stabbing at me, I squeeze her hands tightly in mine as tears of gratitude rolls down my face.
“Thank you, Ivica. For everything.”
48
EMILY
Ivica comesto fetch me exactly when she said she would. She also brings me a pair of sturdy shoes, a compass, the old clothes that I had arrived at the castle in, and even my phone.
It takes me no more than a few minutes to change completely, my body stinging from the pain the entire time.
When I’m done, I stare at my reflection in the mirror, and my eyes travel down to the rings on my finger, both the engagement ring with its massive diamond and the wedding band.
Both of them tie me to Konstantin, and I move my hand to remove them when Ivica stops me.
“I have no money to give you,” she explains. “So you may need to sell those for a ticket home. Now come.”
Realizing she has a point, I give her a quick nod, and follow her out the door.
True to her word, she leads me all the way to the boat. When we finally reach it, she helps me in and pushes it silently over the darkening lake.
“Good luck, dear,” she tells me.
“Ivica, wait.” I tell her.
“There’s no time!” she hisses as she continues pushing. “You need to go now!”
I reach forward and place my hand on hers, and she stops.
Even in the dying sun, I can see the tears in her eyes.
“I just need to know,” I say. “Why did you choose to help me? If Konstantin finds out that you did this for me. If Allafinds out …”
“Because you needed help.” She stops me from speaking and gives the boat one final shove until it’s gliding on the glassy surface. “Now go!”
Two hours later,I am sitting in the back of the truck as it makes its way towards Dubrovnik. Everything went exactly as Ivica said. The ride is bumpy, and the driver chatters with the man in the passenger side in Croatian the entire time.
Neither of them spares me another glance as I sit quietly in the back.
As far as they’re concerned, I’m a nobody.
